“It
is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance
and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty
of its process.”  Henry James

“Human
speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rhythms
for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will
melt the stars.”  Gustave Flaubert, Madame
Bovary

“I
have wandered all my life, and I have also travelled; the
difference between the two being this, that we wander for
distraction, but we travel for fulfilment.”  Hilaire
Belloc, French-born English essayist and writer of travelogues
(1850-1953

Visit
my main travel literature site where you will find in-depth
and content-rich articles, podcasts, photographs;and links to
many travel resources

Throughout
my professional career I have come to realize that language, whether
oral or written, is the essential dynamic in all human interactions.

Furthermore,
the effective use of language is fundamental to every successful
endeavour, whether it be personal or professional.

Language
is what makes us fully human. And yet, language it all its forms
 and this includes such modes of communication as non-verbal
language, the arts, the emotions, and mathematics  can be
our most daunting challenge.

Although
we all learn to speak and to write, we do not necessarily speak
and write effectively, dynamically, and coherently.Language
is a common medium, a skill-based craft, and an art form.

Language
and the Individual

Language
is the means through which we communicate and understand essential
concepts, foremost amongst these is the concept of the self.

Who
am I? What are my principal attributes, personal values, beliefs,
and character strengths? How can I best enhance and use them to
achieve what I want, and to reach self-realization?

In
my work as a teacher for 32 years, as a freelance writer, editor,
and as a mentor, I have always endeavoured to help my clients
progress from crude rhythms to music.

The
“Aerodynamics” of Language and the Human Mind

In
many ways, the effective use of language involves common sense
and observation.

If
you understand how language works and how words convey meaning,
you can consciously choose to use language well.

Language
is like flying and that is why I often have chosen a crane
as a visual symbol. Cranes are large, complex, and graceful birds
that for millennia have inspired awe and admiration. A crane in
full flight is an incredible sight. I like to use the flight of
cranes as an analogy for achieving effective language. Given their
size, cranes must use their “talents and attributes”
effectively in order to achieve flight.

To
launch itself, a crane typically runs into the wind on its very
long and strong legs to achieve the necessary lift. Once aloft,
it can fly as fast as 84 kilometres an hour. And once a desired
altitude is reached, the crane uses thermals to soar and to conserve
energy.

Initially,
achieving effective language requires encountering some resistance,
expending energy, and engaging in conscious thought (running into
the wind) but gradually the “habit” of effective
language becomes self-perpetuating and part of the subconscious.

The
effective use of language can become part of an individual's daily
mode of living, learning, and working. Effective language can
provide the thermals that initiate, support, and maintain individual
achievement.I
am a lateral thinker and believe that this mode of thinking is
often as effective as linear, sequential thinking.

I
use the lateral thinking mode in both cognitive and affective
ways. I strive to integrate reasoning and feeling; in fact
I believe that feelings are the primary and fundamental form of
reasoning.

We
have emotional reactions because we have an awareness that operates
on a subconscious level
especially.s

And
finally, the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things
are principal themes in all my writing. In my experience, travel
is all about these two concepts and thus the most experiential
form of education.

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